The victims were having a family outing at a beach and were reported to have eaten smoked-grilled fish and macaroni salad for lunch. They were all rushed to Cotabato Sanitarium Hospital in Barangay Bulalo of this town.

Alice Upi, one of the victims, said that a few minutes after eating grilled fish and salad they complained of stomach and abdominal pains and dizziness.

Some of them later vomited and had loose bowel movement.

Upi said they had just gone back swimming at the time.

Shukra Adam, mother of five of the victims confined at the hospital, said her youngest child, a three-year-old, also suffered Sunday night aside from vomiting, stomach pain and loose bowel movement.

“I’m not sure whether it was the grilled fish or macaroni that caused the stomach pain and loose bowel movement,” Adam said in Filipino.

Laboratory tests done on Sunday night showed the victims had amoebiasis based on their stool samples.